


Study Break

by Inuy21



Series: Voltron Legendary Defender [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Admiring from Afar, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Keith pretty much being Keith, M/M, Mild Language, Pining, library setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 15:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8494831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inuy21/pseuds/Inuy21
Summary: This is an AU! Keith goes to the library to get some studying done, instead he gets distracted by a sweater.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MajinNeda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajinNeda/gifts).



> So this is once again a gift for a friend because sometimes art imitates life ;)

Having collected a stack of books for studying, Keith made his way toward one of the empty tables. Setting the books down so he could pull out a chair, his gaze lingered on how thick—and more than likely boring—each volume would be. He certainly wasn’t going to relish the task ahead of him. As he sat and reached for the first book, a flash of blue caught his eye. 

He wasn’t sure how or why the color distracted him. An unconscious tug reminded him that he was supposed to be studying. Yes, studying, that would explain why such a small amount of blue had captured his attention through the open-backed chair. As his gaze landed back on the piece of clothing, attached to a lanky body with a head of brown hair, Keith noticed dolphins. Dolphins? He covered his mouth as a snort of laughter crept up his throat. 

The man wearing the sweater raised his head as if he heard the tiny bit of noise. The dark head swiveled to the side to look out over the expanse of the library but never turned in Keith’s direction. Keith thanked any and all deities he could think of as he buried his face against the closed book in front of him. He took a few deep breaths before lifting his head and finally opening the closed volume. The library was for studying not checking out prospective dates. With a mental scoff Keith rolled his eyes and began reading.

The problem was that every time his eyes started back at the top of a page there was that distracting hint of blue. Keith was doing his best to ignore it and for the most part it was working because he was just noticing the spots of white amongst the dark blue where the dolphins were jumping. This was ridiculous! It was a damn sweater! 

Propping an elbow on the table, Keith rested his cheek against the open palm. Giving up on reading the book for a moment, he focused his full attention on the curious sweater. It was white on top—perhaps it was supposed to be the sky?—while the bottom was navy blue with damned silhouetted dolphins jumping out from the white spots. He let his gaze linger, making sure he had the details down. 

Once again as if sensing someone watching him, the man perked his head. Except this time as he turned his head, he bent to grab something from the bag propped against the chair. Keith lowered his head, his bangs slightly covering his eyes. He tried not to glance up, but failed miserably as he was finally able to get a glimpse of the man’s face. There was no way he was going to be able to concentrate on his intellectual studies when he was more intrigued with the man in the fuzzy dolphin sweater! 

Keith bit his bottom lip as the sudden thought of wanting to touch the object came to mind. He wondered if it would be as soft as it looked—not only soft, but warm. Looking out the nearest window to where the sun was shining brightly, maybe it was a little too warm for such a garment. Of course the library seemed to like the temperature set at freezing, so perhaps the man had planned for that?

Shaking his head, Keith bent his head to focus once again on the book. The hand at his cheek cupped around his brow in an attempt to keep his eyes from straying. The trick worked, but now he couldn’t remember a damn thing he had been reading. His eyes had skimmed the words, he was sure he had turned some pages, but he couldn’t recall anything from said pages. A groan slipped past his lips as he dropped his hand back to the table and turned back to the last passage he could remember.

“Go talk to him.”

The encouraging words passed by his right ear and Keith whipped his head up to see the passing figure of Shiro. Pausing by the desk separating Keith’s desk from the mystery man’s, Shiro gave Keith a sly smile before nodding his head toward the other man. Keith glared at his friend and silently prayed he would just go about his business and not get involved. Of course Shiro wasn’t the type to sit back and watch if there was a way he could help. 

Keith made a slashing motion with his hand, telling his friend to cut it out. Instead Shiro walked to the next table and stopped. The dark head rotated and Keith could see the man’s lips curled up into a smile. 

“I’m sorry, sir, but we couldn’t find the book you requested. Someone must have already picked it up,” Shiro apologized quietly with a bob of his head. The white hair of his forelock flopped over his eyes. With a toss of his head and a pointed look at Keith, Shiro adjusted the strands and moved on.

Keith, embarrassed beyond all belief, lifted both hands and buried his face in them. What the hell kind of signal had that been? Shiro had completely and utterly lost his mind! Amidst his self-loathing Keith heard the scrapping of a chair being pushed out and looked up. The mystery man was bent over, putting a few books into the bag he had brought. 

Damn, damn, damn! He should say something, but what? No, why would a complete stranger start a conversation with another? What would he even talk about if he could find the courage to approach the other man? Keith could only stare as the man zipped up his bag and stood up. It was now or never, and the answer would be never as he turned his attention back to his book. 

“Excuse me.”

Keith felt his breath stop. No! It couldn’t possibly be…but as he turned his head, trying not to blush, he saw that it was. He swallowed, cleared his throat, and gave a slight tilt to his head so he could look at the man standing by his table.

“Yes?” he managed to ask in a steady, bored tone.

“I was wondering if you were done with this book?” the mystery man asked, his hand resting on the book at the edge of the table.

Keith looked down, his eyes at first noticing the long slender fingers, and then saw there was indeed a book sitting there. A book he had not picked up nor requested so the only conclusion was Shiro. He must have slipped the book onto the table while Keith had been preoccupied. 

“No,” he blurted out; saw the man frown and start to turn away. “I mean, no, I’m not using it.” He rested his fingertips on the book and slid it closer to the edge. “It’s all yours.”

“Thanks, um.”

Dark blue eyes stared at Keith, as those long fingers grasp and slid the book off the table and into an open palm.

“Keith.” A slight smile tugged at his lips. 

“Lance.” He stuck his hand out, a smile etched across his mouth.

Keith shook Lance’s hand and as Keith felt the warmth and softness of Lance’s skin his breath hitched. Before he could make a fool of himself, Keith let go and let his hand drop.

“Well, uh, thanks for letting me have the book.” Lance lifted the hand with the book in it. 

“No problem.” Keith nodded, not knowing what else to say. He watched as Lance started to leave, torn on whether he should try to start a real conversation, but all he could think of was: “I like your sweater.”

Lance looked over his shoulder, a grin on his face. He wasn’t sure whether to be embarrassed or laugh at such a comment. When he saw that Keith was being genuine he replied, “My sister bought it for me.”

Shit! Had he said that out loud? A burst of laughter escaped before he could contain it. Self-conscious, a hand came up to cover his mouth as a blush spread across his cheeks. “Sorry,” he muttered after lowering his hand. He could still feel the bite of laughter on his features. “I didn’t mean to laugh…at you. I mean…I wasn’t laughing at you.”

Keith scrubbed a hand over his heated face, sure that he had just blown his chance to get to know this man. So he was surprised when he lifted his head to see Lance grinning at him. 

“It’s alright. I’m used to the odd stares and snickers when wear this.” Lance tugged at the collar of the sweater. He shrugged. “But it was a gift and is actually quite cozy, so I don’t pay too much attention to the haters.”

“What about the admirers?” Keith asked, a bit more softly then intended.

Lance scratched his chin in thought. “Other than you?” he chuckled as he studied Keith. Noticing the stack of books, Lance said, “I suppose I should stop wasting your time and let you get back to studying.”

Keith wanted to disagree, that talking with him wasn’t a waste of time, but perhaps Lance had other things he needed to do as well. “Studying,” he grumbled, putting another grin on Lance’s face.

“As I should be getting back to now that I have the book I needed.” Lance started turn but stopped halfway. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Keith nodded. “Maybe.” He would have to come to the library more often. It would be well worth his time, at least. 

“He’s here every Monday and Wednesday usually between the hours of 10 to noon.”

Keith had been so busy watching Lance leave that he had once again been unaware of Shiro’s appearance. Keith felt a hand ball into a fist, but then he remembered the well placed book. With a groan, his head fell against his forearm. 

“I appreciate the help, Shiro, but I can manage on my own,” Keith mumbled, turning his head to the side so he could look at the older man.

Shiro glanced down at Keith. “Obviously you can’t. He would have just walked out of here never knowing you existed if it hadn’t been for my interference.”

Keith couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips as he replayed the conversation in his head. True enough that if it hadn’t been for Shiro, it never would have started, but Keith was fairly sure that Lance had left with a good impression of him.


End file.
